From: din@gradient.cis.upenn.edu (Clarence Din) Newsgroups: rec.games.video Subject: TG-16 REVIEWS LIST Message-ID: <105030@netnews.upenn.edu> Date: 15 Jan 93 16:42:02 GMT Organization: University of Pennsylvania Lines: 1423 **************************************************************************** ** Introducing: THE LIST! ** ** ** ** Turbografx-16, TurboDuo, and PC-Engine News and Reviews ** ** 90 *BIG* Reviews!!! ** ** by ** ** Clarence K. Din, aka The TurboKid ** **************************************************************************** Edition 01.11.93 NOTE: All reviews written by TurboKid unless otherwise noted. In some reviews, "Ed." stands for "Editor." That's me again! New Games Reviewed in Recent Editions of the Review List: -------------------------------------------------------- Air Zonk - need I say more? Browning - excellent graphics, but horrible gameplay... see review! New Adventure Island - save your family from an evil being! Soldier Blade - fast and furious vertical shooter SportsTalk Hockey - great fun for one to five people! Time Cruise - fast and furious video pinball action The TurboKid Rating System: -------------------------- I use a rather unconventional grading system for rating games: A++ to F (4.6 to 0.0). Basically, a game will earn a C if it conforms to the minimal standards as to what a game should look, sound, and play like on a particular system. A game like Super Mario Bros. on a Nintendo and Sonic the Hedgehog on a Genesis would both receive A's, even though there are striking differences in graphics, sound, and playability between the two. Likewise, a game which does not use the hardware to its present (known) maximum potential will receive a mediocre grade. Slowdown or flickering, for example, would lower a game's graphics score considerably as well as lower playability. Basically, most games will get a B or B+. You think this is high? Well, if I really didn't think much of my system, I would've traded it in or sold it long ago. In the same light, most Genesis and Nintendo owners would probably give most of their games good reviews, too. I base most of my purchasing decisions by watching store demos of games or, as a last resort, studying the graphics screens on the backs of boxes. If I saw a lemon, I wouldn't buy it! That's why most of the games in this list can be called "winners." An occasional lemon may slip in, but that's usually because of too much reliance on slick packaging. Not everyone may share my opinions or tastes in games. I like shooters more than Mario-type games, but if a certain Mario-type game has a twist in it, like Bonk with its spin attack, I may find it interesting, play it, and give it a good review. However, if you think that some of my reviews don't give certain games enough credit, tell me. I'll be happy to study the game in question more closely. Some games have hidden surprises, secret levels, and the like, which increase a game's value. I may have missed some of these surprises, so tell me if you find any of them and I'll pass them along to other fellow gamers! Anyway, my OVERALL scoring formula is simple: Add up all values, taking LONGEVITY into account twice, and get an average. An 'A' would be a 4.0, an 'A-' a 3.7, a 'B+' a 3.3, etc. LONGEVITY is how long the game will maintain your interest (ie. will you want to play a game again and again or will you play it once and be disgusted with it?). For most gamers, LONGEVITY is more important than graphics or sound effects. Some of the best games have really bad graphics (eg. Tetris). If you would like to add to a review or possibly change a rating, please send me mail (din@gradient.cis.upenn.edu) and I'll take your comments into account! Thanks! The Rank Order Scale -------------------- Periodically, I will be posting a listing of all of the games reviewed in my list in rank order, from highest overall rating to lowest. This list may be used as a basis for purchasing decisions. The real value of it lies in the fact that you can easily see if one game is exceptionally superior to another. Of course, different people have different opinions. That's why I have stated in the list that a difference of 0.1 between two games is usually not significant, that is, game X with a 3.4 and game Y with a 3.5 are about the same overall (if comparing shooters to shooters; you shouldn't compare a 3.5 RPG with a 3.5 shooter!). Do You Have Reviews? ------------------- Certainly, one man's opinion is not enough to base your decision to rent or purchase a game. If you have had any experience with a certain game and would like to share your experiences with other fellow Turbografx-16 owners, please send your reviews my way. I will take all of your comments into account and adjust my grades accordingly based on their soundness and wisdom. Credit will be given to the original reviewer. Please use the review format presented below and send them to din@gradient.cis.upenn.edu. Thanks! Please, please, PLEASE follow the format of the reviews for everyone's sake! The idea is to give other gamers the most clear and concise information possible! TurboKid's Board of Reviewers ----------------------------- The following people were integral or most helpful in my assembling these reviews for all you TurboDuo, Turbografx-16, and PC-Engine gamers. Thank you all! Bryan Duvan, Chris Fleming, Tin Yau Fung, Jeff Graham, Brad Hamlett, Pete Ikusz, Kevin Kramer, Jeffrey Naiman, Sergey Shimkevich, James Stepanek, Laly Thao ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Format of Reviews ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (game title) (format: CD-ROM, SCD-ROM, Hu-Card) Review by (your name). ------------ short, concise, encapsulated review or preview (Please make sure the following are in upper-case in your reviews!!!) GRAPHICS : (A++ to F rating with optional comments in parentheses) SOUND : MUSIC : GAMEPLAY : LONGEVITY: PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: (this is optional) OVERALL : (convert your letter grades to a 4.6 to 0.0 scale (A++ to F) and add them all up counting the longevity score twice... divide the sum by 6 to get the overall score) COMMENTS : (or end comments... this is optional) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # The Addams' Family (CD-ROM) Review by Bryan Duvan and TurboKid. ------------------ Wander around the Addams' family house searching for the Addams' money vault all the while battling the Addams' family members. GRAPHICS : A- (Game is cartoon-like. Characters are a little too blocky and two-dimensional) SOUND : A (Excellent... this game uses the CD technology wisely) MUSIC : A (Addams' theme at the start of the game... nice!) GAMEPLAY : B (Even with a joystick, you'll need to get the hang of jumping over obstacles) LONGEVITY: B- (Frustrating... no save feature!) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: This game needs some serious fixes in gameplay mechanics. OVERALL : 3.34 COMMENTS : This game really needs a save feature because you die too easily. "Am I the only one who thinks this game is a waste?" - Ed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Aeroblaster (Hu-Card) Review by Bryan Duvan. ----------- Also known as Air Buster (Genesis). This is a side-scrolling shooter game which I truly like because of the simultaneously two player gameplay. GRAPHICS : A (Very nice... especially in the later stages) SOUND : B (Could be better) MUSIC : B (Very nice... above average) GAMEPLAY : A (Needs a joystick) LONGEVITY: B (Grade A if play with two players. Keeps you coming back for more) PLAYERS : 1 or 2 IMPROVEMENTS: The smart bomb has to go... it takes too long to power-up! OVERALL : 3.40 COMMENTS : Grab your buddy and play this baby. Guaranteed to make your fingers go numb. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Aim For The Top! GunBuster, Volume 1 (SCD-ROM) Review by Sergey Shimkevich. ------------------------------------ Top o Nerae! GunBuster is a game that is very similar in concept to Sherlock Holmes and Murder Club - it is basically a board game where you are presented with a situation and have to pick out a correct action to progress further. It is based on a very popular 6-part OVA (Original Video Animation) of the same title (recently released in the US with subtitles). The game is based on the first two parts of the series. The storyline in the game is the same as in the video. Noriko Takaya is a student at Okinawa Space High School for girls where combat pilots are being trained. Rather unsure of herself, she also has to carry on the legacy of her late father, Admiral Takaya who was killed in a space battle with the aliens. In the first part of the game, the goal is to survive the tribulations of high school (self-doubt, sibling rivalry) and to get assigned to the new battleship, Exelion. In the second part there are more obstacles to overcome, including a terrifying ghost from the past. The gameplay is very simple. After the opening intro (accompanied by a short version of "Fly High"), you see the options screen (looks exactly like the screen in Science Lessons) where the super-deformed Noriko and Kazumi tell you about the options. You can then start a new game, continue a saved one, go to a sound test mode or hear the background info on the three main characters. If you choose to do so, a super-deformed Coach Ohta will tell you about this option and then proceed to introduce the character that you've selected. After that, the character will introduce herself. You'll also see such vital statistics as birthdate, height and blood type displayed (turns out that Noriko is 0, Jung-Freud is AB and I forgot about Kazumi). When you select a new game or continue, you then get to a main screen where all action takes place. There is a display, about 1/4 of the screen where the action takes place, two windows where the commands are displaced and a Stress Meter. When you make the wrong decision, the Stress Meter goes up. When it is full, the game is OVER!!! You see a short animated sequence (the closest to full-motion animation that I've seen on the Turbo/PC Engine) and then you have to make a choice. If you make the wrong choice, you see the often hilarious results (for example when Jung-Freud is introduced to Noriko and Kazumi, one of the wrong responses is to "take a look at Jung's, er, bosom", also some wrong responses can get you slapped by Kazumi - OUCH!), your Stress Meter goes up and you have to make another choice. When you make the right choice, the story continues. At some point you'll be allowed to save your game and continue. You can also save the game at the end to have access to endgame options that include a command that replays the game automatically from the beginning to the end and a short comedy routine by Noriko, Kazumi and Jung-Freud. Also, when you put a regular system card instead of a Super System card, the results are absolutely hilarious. You see a parody of a Science Lesson where Kazumi asks Noriko questions about the PC Engine (no, the Coach doesn't show up at the end, too bad). GRAPHICS : A- (Unfortunately PC Engine/Turbo shows its limitations) SOUND : A+ (It's all speech) MUSIC : A+ (Two songs from the OVA!!!) GAMEPLAY : A+ (Lots of fun - if you like the show) LONGEVITY: A+ (You'll want to play it again, just to see the often hilarious results of incorrect responses) PLAYERS : 1 OVERALL : 4.20 COMMENTS : If you liked GunBuster and have a Turbo/PC Engine, you'll most probably love this game. On the other hand, if you do not know the story beforehand and/or do not speak/read Japanese, this game will not be much fun. Even though it is fairly easy to get through by the trial and error method, the story wouldn't make much sense. A bit on the negative side: unfortunately the PC Engine/Turbo hardware shows its limitations. The animation is still jerky and it is only in 1/4 of the screen (just like in Sherlock Holmes). Still, it is a very nice game and I enjoyed it a lot. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Air Zonk (Hu-Card) -------- Zonk gives new meaning to the term "Cyberpunk" as he flies through 5 stages of super-fast horizontally scrolling shooting action. The parallax scrolling is fantastic and there is enough variety in the powerups to keep your interest. One unique feature about this game is your ability to pick up a "satellite" shooter and merge with it. GRAPHICS : A+ (much improved over the original Bonk series and with more detailed graphics and use of colors... you will recognize many of the same characters here as in the original Bonk adventures and the way the game designers updated them to a more futuristic level is awesome) SOUND : A (nice explosions and shooting sounds) MUSIC : A- (cool music... not annoying) GAMEPLAY : B+ (as with all shooters, this game would be much better with a joystick) LONGEVITY: B+ (there are 3 modes of play with 1, 3, or 5 lives... level 4 is an interesting horizontal, then vertical scrolling stage... you'll want to play again to find out what some of the other powerups do or try to beat the game with 1 life!) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: There are only 5 levels in this game. They're all challenging, but the game is a bit too short! OVERALL : 3.65 COMMENTS : The scrolling is fast, flicker-free, and even Sega shooter fans who have "seen it all" will be impressed by the graphics in this cart. There was a lot of advance notice (hype) surrounding this game. It was well worth the wait. While it is no Gates of Thunder, Air Zonk is a cool shooter in its own right and is now the "official" mascot of Turbo Technologies. Move over, Sonic! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Andre Panza Kick Boxing (Hu-Card) ----------------------- Almost all the sights, sounds, and realism of professional kickboxing. GRAPHICS : A+ (The boxers are surprisingly detailed and realistic, but the characters are two-dimensional, reminiscent of earlier sports games for other systems) SOUND : A (Realistic hits, grunts, and digitized referee voice) MUSIC : B (Only a title screen tune) GAMEPLAY : A (This game plays better with a Turbopad than a joystick, especially when you have to make a diagonal move. The feel is still a little sticky in the beginning, though, especially since your boxer is pretty cruddy at first) LONGEVITY: B+ (If your reflexes are pretty good, you can probably beat Andre Panza, the top guy, in one long night of playing. All you have to do is stay in the gym and build up your abilities. The game is good for relieving frustrations) PLAYERS : 1 or 2 IMPROVEMENTS: Make the referee say more than just "1, 2, Go!" Make the game three-dimensional! OVERALL : 3.48 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Ballistix (Hu-Card) Review by Jeff Graham. --------- For those of you who haven't played the game, a little background info is needed. You play a gunner firing little balls at a target ball trying to get the ball to the goal on the other side of the field. Sounds easy, right? Wrong!! It's not that easy to direct the ball once it starts moving, and it does move fast at times (I've not been able to follow it at times). Also, various power-ups and obstacles are on the playfield causing havoc: all firing balls to player one, all to player two, opponent can't fire, gate (blocks your goal so your opponent can't score) 4-, 8-, and 16-way split of the firing ball, etc. Obstacles including bumpers, warp gates (moves ball "underground" to the other gate, arrows that redirect the balls (target and firing). Players start with 15 firing balls. When those are gone you have to wait for them to slowly regenerate. To make things worse, about every 5 seconds, the firing balls for both players are swapped (ex: you have 8 opponent has 0, balls swap, now you have 0 and opponent has 8; annoying and frustrating if your about to score). There are 100 levels in the game; when you play level 100 it starts back at level 1. You can set various options such as ball speed, CPU difficulty, length of match, number of goals to win a game, starting level (2-player only), and gravity (primarily used on the 1-player solo game). GRAPHICS : A (Very smooth and VERY fast) SOUND : B- (Decent sound of your shots and ball bouncing) MUSIC : B (Not a bad tune, not a great tune; mildly annoyting after a while) GAMEPLAY : A (Solo game very addictive; see comments for 2-player game) LONGEVITY: B+ (You'll want to play again, but extended playing will make you very frustrated; I have a hole in the wall and a busted controller as proof) PLAYERS : 1 or 2 IMPROVEMENTS: Improve the graphics on the power-ups: several of the symbols look very similar, and I'm sure you can't tell the difference in symbols on the Turbo-Express; change that tune; give wider range for difficulty levels (there are only four; the computer moves like a spaz on all four levels; the only difference in difficulty I could see was the rate at which the computer regenerated balls to fire at the target ball); allow the players to turn off the ball switching option; add a level designer ("That's a LOT of add-ons!" - Ed.) OVERALL : 3.38 COMMENTS : This is a great game for one player, but when you play two player the game is terribly unbalanced. I played a 10 match game against a friend, with me as player 2. He beat me nearly every match because he regenerated firing balls faster than I could. This was the case for nearly every stage we started on. A call to the hotline was answered by a moron saying "It's supposed to play that way. Try it with the turbo switches in the lowest position." (Why allow different firing rates if they want you to play with the slowest firing rate). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Battle Royale (Hu-Card) Review by Bryan Duvan. ------------- Wrestling game in which you and couple of your buddies can unleash angers and frustrations by kicking and punching each other. You have to throw them outside of the ring in order to be the champ. GRAPHICS : C+ (So-so graphics, but nothing ground-breaking) SOUNDS : C (Too many pings and pangs) MUSIC : C (Could be better) GAMEPLAY : B (Needs a joystick!) LONGEVITY: C (Very repetitive) PLAYERS : 1 to 5 IMPROVEMENTS: Should add more moves (ie. body slam, suplex, throw others to the ropes, etc) instead of just punches and kickes. OVERALL : 2.22 COMMENTS : Hopefully, Turbo Technologies will bring out another wrestling game because this game * SUCKS * IMHO. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Blazing Lazers (Hu-Card) -------------- Once in a long time a game emerges which takes the basic shoot-everything- or-die scenario and spices it up to make for a truly worthwhile contest. That game is Blazing Lazers. You begin the game with a ship with limited firing power and defense mechanisms. By capturing power pills, you can arm your ship with one of four different missile types and one of three different defense aids. You must shoot your way through nine levels of scrolling landscapes and background scenery. Your enemies are many and varied. Each has a certain "best" way of killing it. Others are more easily avoided. A big "boss" midway and at the end of every level taunts the player and hinders further progress. The graphics and sound in this game are fantastic. Backgrounds are very detailed. A computer voice announces the type of weapon or defense aid you received when picking up a power pill. There is very little flicker in this game (unlike R-Type). The standard Turbopad is adequate for gameplay although a joystick is recommended. Easily equals the best Genesis shooters available. GRAPHICS : A (Very detailed backgrounds) SOUND : A (Nice explosions and computer voice) MUSIC : B+ (Catchy theme tunes) GAMEPLAY : B+ (Use a joystick!) LONGEVITY: A- (You will want to play again and again!) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: Improve the stereo image. Make some of the bosses harder to destroy. Have a 2-player mode! OVERALL : 3.67 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Bloody Wolf (Hu-Card) ----------- You are a Rambo-like character out on a mission to save your people and destroy all enemies. Lots of weapons to choose from. GRAPHICS : C- (Looks like a Nintendo game... spotty graphics) SOUND : B (Nice intro theme, but nothing spectacular throughout) MUSIC : B- (Music is annoying) GAMEPLAY : B (Better with a joystick... especially when fighting the bosses) LONGEVITY: B- (A challenging game marred by bad programming) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: Redo the graphics! OVERALL : 2.63 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Bomberman (Hu-Card or secret pack-in on TurboDuo SCD) --------- Move around in a maze setting up bombs and praying that the enemy will get close enough to them when they eventually set off. GRAPHICS : A- (Nice cartoon-like graphics) SOUND : B (Nothing more than nice explosions and bleep sounds) MUSIC : B+ (Catchy tune, but annoying after extended play) GAMEPLAY : B- (Controls are a little too sensitive and the character has a tendency to move more than expected) LONGEVITY: A (This game is Fun with a capital "F"... a winner!) PLAYERS : up to 5 IMPROVEMENTS: Better sound effects. OVERALL : 3.50 COMMENTS : This surprise game comes on the 3-in-1 SCD disc that comes with the Duo. At the title screen, press up, right, down, left, and II to get a chime. Press RUN for the game. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Bonk's Adventure (Hu-Card or SCD-ROM) ---------------- You are Bonk and you're off on an adventure to save Princess Za. Like Sonic and Mario, Bonk is TG-16's color mascot (I say "color" because HudsonSoft released Bonk for the Gameboy)! GRAPHICS : B+ (The cartoon-like graphics could be improved) SOUND : B+ (Lots of bleeps and bloops in the right places) MUSIC : A- (Catchy tune which is sparse and unannoying) GAMEPLAY : A- (The Turbopad is adequate here, but a joystick would be better) LONGEVITY: A (You will want to play again and again) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: The graphics have been improved in Bonk's Revenge. OVERALL : 3.67 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Bonk's Revenge (Hu-Card and SCD-ROM) Review by Bryan Duvan. -------------- Sequel to Bonk's Adventure. You're Bonk trying to save Princess Za's planet once again. GRAPHICS : A (Much better and faster than its predecessor... Bonk's Adventure was basically a linear game... Bonk's Revenge has you climbing vertically as well as horizontally... check out how Bonk climbs vines!) SOUNDS : A (A bit more complex than the simplistic sounds of Bonk's Adventure) MUSIC : A (Very nice music) GAMEPLAY : B (I like the multiple spins in Bonk's Adventure than the single spin here) LONGEVITY: A (Extremely long game to master... lots of tricks you need to learn... two practice modes get you in gear for the challenge!) PLAYERS : 1 OVERALL : 3.83 COMMENTS : Very nice game... Hopefully, Bonk 3 will be better than the first two. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Boxyboy (Hu-Card) ------- This is a puzzle game which involves pushing blocks into bins. Not as easy as it sounds! GRAPHICS : A- (Spitting image of Bomberman in terms of graphics) SOUND : C (Nothing spectacular here) MUSIC : B (Good tune, but gets annoying after awhile) GAMEPLAY : A (This game is so simple to play that a Turbopad is perfect) LONGEVITY: A (A first-rate puzzle) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: Improve the music. OVERALL : 3.45 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Bravoman (Hu-Card) Review by Bryan Duvan. -------- Same old punching and kicking game with the only exception that your arms and legs extend. GRAPHICS : A (Nicely done in the underwater scene) SOUNDS : C+ (Pings and pangs) MUSIC : C (Repeats itself every stage) GAMEPLAY : B (Pad is sufficient for this game) LONGEVITY: C (Same old things except different stages... punch... kick... punch) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: Include weapons to fight enemies. OVERALL : 2.55 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # BROWNING (PC-SCD) Review by Sergey Shimkevich. Company: Riot (Telenet), TJCD1020 Best described by the text on the box... >"SEA SQUARE", a gigantic man-made island on the Atlantic Ocean, an >armed fortress controlled by a mysterious army. It is evident that >they are developing the most evil weapon for slaughter to maintain >and grasp its superiority of military power in the world. >Joint forces have taken the motion for a special action (irregular >combat) and have prepared a mobile weapon "BROWNING" to destroy >the ultimate weapon. In short, a very disappointing side-scroller. The game graphics are very impressive with several layers of parallax scrolling. Your mecha (robotic weapon) is large and very well animated (when you turn it actually turns, also its left and right sides are different). The music is good, the intro is impressive (in English, too, in fact, the whole game plays in English), too bad there aren't any real intermissions, just shorts between the rounds. The sound effects are one of the best I've heard on any system - the booming steps of your robot are especially impressive...All of this is laid to waste by the very bad gameplay. For starters, the game is too short - only five levels, the last two being simply fights with one boss after another. To compensate for that, it is made to be difficult and it is, to the point of being frustrating. The gameplay is extremely linear - just walk, run or hover (interesting but practically wasted options) to the right until you meet the boss which you have to take out with your pea-shooter before the timer runs out. Continues are unlimited and you'll most definitely need them. GRAPHICS : A SOUND : A MUSIC : A GAMEPLAY : C LONGEVITY: C PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: Let's hope that they do a sequel and do it right. OVERALL : 3.00 COMMENTS : If you are a mecha fanatic and can get it cheap, go for it. Otherwise, save your money and get something else. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Bubble Gum Crash! (Hu-Card) Review by Teh Kao Yang. ----------------- Menu driven adventure game with some arcade sequences mixed in. Based on the popular Anime series of the same name. GRAPHICS : B (Has nice pictures of the Knight Sabers) SOUND : C MUSIC : C GAMEPLAY : C (Boring and repetitive) LONGEVITY: C+ (Pretty long and difficult, but not worth playing over) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: This game should have been done on CD. More freedom to explore and harder puzzles would be nice. OVERALL : 2.27 COMMENTS : This is the only video game I know of that features the popular Knight Sabers. However aside from some nice graphics the game isn't that interesting. Playing isn't much more than reading a lot of boring Japanese text, but some arcade sequences spice it up a bit. It's worth checking out for the Bubble Gum Crisis fans. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Cadash (Hu-Card) Reviewed by Pete Ikusz ------ Cadash is a 1 or 2 player side-scroller a la Legendary Axe, with more of a storyline and D&D feel. You initially get to select to play 1 of 4 characters. The story begins in a king's castle and you quickly move to the underground caverns. Between levels, there are cities where you can purchase armor, get rest, etc. GRAPHICS : B+ (Some pretty nice screens and characters.) SOUND : A- MUSIC : B- (Could have been better.) GAMEPLAY : A- (Plays as expected.) LONGEVITY: B+ (Lots of stuff to do, as with Axe, it's a pain having to continue from the start everytime though.) PLAYERS : 1 or 2 IMPROVEMENTS: Better music. Not bad overall for a Hu-Card game though. OVERALL : 3.33 COMMENTS : Great for 2 player action. Compares favorably to the Legendary Axe series. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # China Warrior (Hu-Card) ------------- Side-scrolling punch and kick game with little variation. GRAPHICS : A- (Absolutely HUGE graphic characters with no flicker) SOUND : B- (Adequate punching and kicking sounds) MUSIC : B (Music is annoying after awhile) GAMEPLAY : B- (A little awkward with the Turbopad) LONGEVITY: D (Despite its awesome visual and good audio effects, the game is weak in its ability to capture the interest of the player) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS : Add more moves to the game. OVERALL : 2.35 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Cosmic Fantasy 2 (CD-ROM) Reviewed by Pete Ikusz ---------------- If you are a Ys 1&2 fan (or addict), CF2 is a must for your TG CD library. After a small introduction screen, you begin your adventure in the Ys 1&2 style. (3-d type of movement rather than side scrolling.) Fighting scenes are quite different from Ys though, you are able to select from a variety of options ranging from using weapons or magic to fleeing the encounter. When an encounter occurs the monsters are displayed on the screen, and the players in your group are listed. You are given the option of which player to control, and/or which monster to attack. I will not bother going over the story line. It is very well done, the actors voices are done superbly, and there are some excellent graphic intermissions. GRAPHICS : A+ (Wow!) SOUND : A (A few more weapons sounds would have been neat, but not important.) MUSIC : A+ (Great musical scores.) GAMEPLAY : A+ (Easy to understand and get used to.) LONGEVITY: A+ (It makes you want to play more and more.) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: You are only allowed 2 saved games. A few more would have been nice. There is a slight load/track switch delay when going into combat. This is quite often, and becomes a slight pain. OVERALL : 4.25 COMMENTS : It really doesn't get any better than this. Now there is another reason to buy a TG-CD! (Other than Ys I & II) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Davis Cup (Hu-Card) Review by Bryan Duvan. Additional notes by TurboKid. --------- This tennis game lets you and four of your friends compete to see which team can win the prestigous Davis Cup. GRAPHICS : B (Nicely done on the animation) SOUNDS : A (The sounds are great!) MUSIC : C (Could be better) GAMEPLAY : B (The split screen is hard when I first played, but after a while, I got used to it) LONGEVITY: B (Really fun when all four players play at the same time) PLAYERS : 1 to 4 IMPROVEMENTS: Graphics could be improved a little. OVERALL : 3.00 COMMENTS : Love the game... especially in practice mode. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Deep Blue (Hu-Card) Review by Bryan Duvan. --------- Side-scrolling shooter underwater style. GRAPHICS : B (I like the background of this game) SOUNDS : C (So-so sounds... pings and pangs) MUSIC : C+ (Decent) GAMEPLAY : D (Horrible... would have been a B if the gameplay improved) LONGEVITY: D (You die too easily in this game, so I hardly play it) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: Need to improve on the control. Your movements are too slow to react against the faster enemies. OVERALL : 1.72 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Devil's Crush (Hu-Card) ------------- This is pinball with several twists. GRAPHICS : A (Excellent detail... one of the best in this area) SOUND : A (Good sound made great via Turbobooster) MUSIC : A- (See previous line) GAMEPLAY : A (The Turbopad is more than adequate for this game) LONGEVITY: B+ (The game is fun for short durations) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: None. OVERALL : 3.72 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Download 2 (CD-ROM) Review by Jeffrey Naiman. ---------- GRAPHICS : A- SOUND : A MUSIC : A GAMEPLAY : B+ LONGEVITY: A- PLAYERS : 1 OVERALL : 3.56 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Dragon Spirit (Hu-Card) ------------- Vertical-scrolling shooter where you take on the role of a dragon with enormous firepower. Beautiful backgrounds will delight your eyes. GRAPHICS : A- (Nice scrolling backgrounds... nice detail in dragon) SOUND : A- (Nice explosions and bleeps reminiscent of Bomberman) MUSIC : A (Cool soundtrack) GAMEPLAY : B+ (Use a joystick!) LONGEVITY: A- (A fun shooter!) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: Improve the stereo. Add more detail to flying enemies. Add a continue feature. This game should definitely have a 2-player option like the Atari arcade version, but that will be left for Dragon Saber, due out soon. OVERALL : 3.68 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Dragon's Curse (Hu-Card) Review by Teh Kao Yang. -------------- A conversion of Wonderboy 3 on the Sega Master System for the Turbografx. A side-scrolling action-RPG game. GRAPHICS : B (Bright, cartoony graphics) SOUND : B MUSIC : A- (Some really good catchy tunes) GAMEPLAY : A- (Simple but addicting) LONGEVITY: A- PLAYERS : 1 OVERALL : 3.47 COMMENTS : This game is extremely good considering it's only 2 megs. It's got cute graphics, very nice music, and addicting gameplay. Your character changes form several times during the game and you have to learn different techniques for each character. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Dragonslayer : The Legend of Heroes (SCD-ROM) ----------------------------------- Review by Tin Yau Fung. Additional notes by TurboKid. A young prince by the name of Serios, age 16, was to inherit the throne in two months. When he was 6, his father and his kingdom were invaded by monsters. For 10 yrs, Serios was in the custody of one of the King's courtmen. One night, herds of monsters attack and destroy Serios' castle. Later, Serios finds out that his guardian, who is taking the power until his inheritance, is rebelling. Thus, left alone, Serios sets on a new adventure to reclaim the throne and defeat Akubamu. GRAPHICS : B (Although the graphics are much better than the PC version, the graphics still look very fuzzy. It was especially annoying that the screen was very small and difficult to look at) SOUND : A- (The game gives the option of choosing between PGM and CD. While the CD sound is apparently more pleasing, PGM is not really bad and it lessens the tremendous reading the CD-ROM has to do. "This is a NEAT concept and should be incorporated into all future CD games!" - Ed.) MUSIC : A- GAMEPLAY : B (Actually, it is okay. There is even an option in which the computer do the fighting for you. All I have to do is walk around and bump into enemies. But, even so, the gameplay is somewhat boring) LONGEVITY: C (I don't think I will want to play it again) PLAYERS : 1 OVERALL : 2.90 COMMENTS : This game is made by the same company (Falcom) that created the Ys series. This is one reason I choose to play it. However, I find the game does not live up to my expectations. I would not recommend this game. Too much is lost when they ported this to the CD-ROM. This game is just as bad as Ys III on the CD. But I would definitely would wait for Ys IV. "I LIKE Y's III, but that is MY opinion!" - Ed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Drop Off (Hu-Card) Review by Bryan Duvan. -------- Similar to Arkanoid genre. GRAPHICS : C (Decent) SOUND : C- (All you hear is the ball bounces... ping... ping) MUSIC : C (Needs a better tune) GAMEPLAY : B (Turbopad is sufficient... very easy to use) LONGEVITY: B (Very addictive if you're in Arkanoid freak) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: Better tune and should have more diverse power-ups. OVERALL : 2.45 COMMENTS : This game lacks in graphics and sounds, but makes up for it in gameplay and fun factor. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Dungeon Explorer (Hu-Card) ---------------- Explore dungeons and castle layouts, fight horrible monsters, find valuable loot. This arcade RPG has it all! GRAPHICS : A- (Makes excellent use of available colors) SOUND : B+ (Appropriate sound effects) MUSIC : A- (Nice theme song) GAMEPLAY : B (Needs a joystick to move diagonally) LONGEVITY: B (A little too frustrating in one-player mode) PLAYERS : up to 5 IMPROVEMENTS: Add skill levels. Playing one-player is too difficult! Having the 5-player capability is a nice touch. OVERALL : 3.28 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Efera and Jiliora - The Emblem From Darkness (CD-ROM) -------------------------------------------- Review by Sergey Shimkevich. Efera and Jiliora is a role-playing fantasy game based on a Japanese animated movie "Gu-De-Crest: Women Warriors Efera and Jiliora". This game is very similar to Y's Book 1&2. The only differences are better graphics and that your character can move diagonally, plus a slightly different method of attack. When you start the game, you can pick either Efera or Jiliora. There is a two-player mode which allows two people to play at the same time, something that is unusual in RPG's. Jiliora is a strong fighter, but she cannot use magic. She obtains magic rings as her level goes up which enable her to power-up her sword for a short time, recover lost HP and to become invincible for a short time. Efera is a weaker fighter, but she can use magic spells which are very effective against boss enemies. She does not possess a healing ring and depends on medicine and healing magic which uses a lot of MP. MP can be restored only by magic herbs that she has to carry with her and there is a limit to how many items your character can carry. Thus, it is easier to explore with Jiliora since she can restore her HP anywhere, but fighting the bosses is much easier with Efera. For example, it takes a lot of time and effort to kill the final enemy with Jiliora, but it is extremely easy with Efera, granted that you use the right spell. (Also, Efera is cuter, IMHO). An interesting detail is that, unlike other RPG's, you can swing your sword in the towns as well. However, if you kill one of the townspeople by accident, the others will come and strike you down in a moment - game over. Since you use the same button for closing the conversation window and for striking with your sword, make sure your turbo-fire switches are off when you enter the towns, or else you might kill the person you've been talking to with dire consequences. GRAPHICS : A (Even though this is an RPG, some of the levels are very graphically impressive) SOUND : B (What sound?) MUSIC : A+ (Exceptional high-quality soundtrack) GAMEPLAY : A (Better than Y's!) LONGEVITY: A- (This is an RPG, so once you finish it, it is over. The quest is fairly long, though) PLAYERS : 1 or 2 OVERALL : 3.78 COMMENTS: If you liked Y's I&II, you'll enjoy this game. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Exile (CD-ROM) Review by Brad Hamlett, Comments by TurboKid. ----- Exile is an action/RPG very similiar in gameplay to Ys III. While in a town, the perspective is from a 3/4ths top-down view. Playing the alter ego of Sadler, you walk around gathering clues and buying weapons/armor/etc. In the 'wilderness' perspective shifts to a multi-scrolling side view. All combat takes place on the side view screens. Like in most RPGs, in Exile, you gain experience which nets you more hit points/magic points and combat power. The magic system in Exile is very limited. There are only three types of magic -- a fire-slash, ice-bomb, and restoration. The first two are simply a way to fire ranged attacks at oppenents instead of hitting them with your weapon. Both fire-slash and ice-bomb have three power levels. Restoration simply drains your magic points to restore your hit points. You will gather NPCs along the way. They simply offer advice or important items, but do not participate in fights. The storyline seems to be based on the Crusades of Medieval Europe...in fact, most of the story is based in the Middle East. The intermissions are interesting and the voice acting is decent, about as good as that in Cosmic Fantasy 2. The music is excellent and sets the mood perfectly. The biggest flaw with the game is that it is far too easy. It took me all of two nights to complete. There are no really difficult puzzles and only the last fight is truly challenging. Besides being easy, the game is just way too short, shorter than Ys III by half. One last side note. You may have seen the ads for Exile advertising the 'uncut' version. This probably amounts to the pool of blood seen when you die and the Festival of Bakus (their spelling, not mine) in one of the cities. Save your money, rent this one over a weekend. GRAPHICS : A- SOUND : A+ MUSIC : A+ GAMEPLAY : B+ LONGEVITY: D (it's too easy) PLAYERS : 1 OVERALL : 2.93 COMMENTS : This game lost lots of points in the longevity section. I, myself, had the Genesis version of Exile for 2 days, got bored with it, and traded it for Alisia Dragoon! - Ed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Fantasy Zone (Hu-Card) ------------ Side-scrolling shooter with very cute graphics. GRAPHICS : B+ (Very colorful cartoon-like graphics) SOUND : B (Sounds only come from missiles and picking up coins) MUSIC : B- (Annoying theme song) GAMEPLAY : B- (Awkward without a joystick. Movement of your ship and enemy characters are too slow) LONGEVITY: C+ (An average shooter with nice touches) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: Add more sound effects. OVERALL : 2.72 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Far East of Eden II, Manji Maru (CD-ROM) Review by Tin Yau Fung. ------------------------------- This is a sequel to Far East of Eden, Ziria. The player assumes the role of Manji Maru. The game stands apart from other ordinary RPGs in that it has the most animation and voice-acting among all RG games. Playing the game is like watching a drama. GRAPHICS : A (The overworld map and the dungeon parts were superb. However, when characters enter places like villages, they suddenly look very blocky) SOUND : A++ (Excellent! There is a section in the instruction manul which explains how tough it is to make good traditional Japanese music. Ed. note: "Since this game has sound and music that's probably a cut up above the rest of the A or A+ games, I'm going to use a numerical rating of 4.6 for an A++") MUSIC : A++ GAMEPLAY : B (The game is not action-oriented. Characters fight by choosing commands from a list of options) LONGEVITY: A (Just the animation will blow you away. You definitely want to see it again) PLAYERS : 1 IMPROVEMENTS: The game is far too easy. I think it would be great if they could do a decent translation in the US version. OVERALL : 4.03 COMMENTS : This is *THE* RPG game to play if you just got a Super System Card 3.0 upgrade. Actually, this game is what NEC Japan uses in their ads for their promotions of the new PC Engine Duo. Let me quote the ad info here... Total Characters : 3000 Enemy Characters : 400 Map : approx 20000 screens Villages/Dungeons : about 250 Magic : about 100 different types Items : approx 500 Narration : about 3 hours, 10000 messages Animation : about 30 minutes BGM : 80 entries Expected time to finish the game : 70 to 80 hours Staff : 150 people ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Fighting Street (CD-ROM) Review by Laly Thao. --------------- Additional notes by TurboKid. Someone should have reviewed this a while ago, but since no one has, here is my opinion/observation. This is Street Fighter I for those who haven't already realized it. You are Ken (Ken and Ryu in two player) and you go to five countries to test your skills. You can choose to start in Japan, England, USA, or China. After selecting a starting country, the remaining countries are randomly selected. After defeating the two fighters from each country, you head to Thailand to fight two Thai kickboxers. If you don't have a joystick, you will develop a cyst-infested thumb trying to do the special moves (fireball, thunder (?) kick, and dragon punch). After a couple of minutes, you won't even notice your thumb. The intensity of the moves (kick/punch) are controlled by how long you hold the kick/punch buttons. GRAPHICS : B (Not too great but you get used to it after a while.) SOUND : C+ (The voices associated with the fireball, thunder kick and dragon punch are all there. The groans when getting hit are also present. Biggest gripe here are the voices of the opponents. The voices were written into the program rather than recorded on the CD. The dialog spoken by the opponents is unintelligible. Good thing they printed the dialog, too.) MUSIC : A (The only thing making this a CD game is the CD quality music.) GAMEPLAY : B (Better played with a joystick. The only move I did consis- tently was the thunder kick (and that was with the kick button set to mid-turbo). I was successful 80% of the time I tried it. I accidentally did a dragon punch but that never happened again. I threw a couple of fireballs in the midst of getting clobbered. Without the special moves mastered, once I got to Thailand, the kickboxer promptly splattered me over the ruins. Response to moves was also very slow. It is supposed to be a fast paced game but it leaves a lot to be desired.) LONGEVITY: B (Good for times when you want to beat up people :-) Also good for two player action to find out who's going to pay for the pizza.) PLAYERS : 1 or 2 IMPROVEMENTS: A very poorly designed game. The voices should have been digitized onto the CD, rather than stuffed in the program itself. Very poor voice quality. Additionally, the CD was accessed every time a match was to